1. Tourism in the bio-economy in Finland
Liisa Tyrväinen
Professor, nature-based tourism and recreation
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke),

2. Natural Resources Institute Finland Vision
We are a bioeconomy pioneer – our expertise creates a basis for sustainable growth and well-being.
Focus of research
Based on renewable natural resources
biomass-based products and energy
food system and food security
health and well-being
sustainable natural resources economy and policy

3. Organisation
Person-years aprox.1700, 38 Locations

4. Nature-based tourism in Finland
Nature-based tourism (NBT) has increasing role in Finnish bioeconomy
NBT and well-being services from nature acknowledged in the Finnish Bioeconomy Strategy (2014).
Significant growth expectations within NBT development in Finnish Tourism Strategy (Roadmap of Tourism ).
43% of Finns participates in nature-based tourism, 1/3 of foreign visitors participate in nature activities
Increasing number of visitors in National Parks (Parks & Wildlife Finland)

5. Landowner structure and forest services in Finland
State owned forests
Finland is covered by forest (86%)
Forests are distributed evenly and they are easy to reach
Private forests are located in Southern Finland and State owned forests are located in Northern Finland
Private owned forests

6. Benefits of Finland´s National Parks
a total of 39 national parks
2,63 million visits in 2015
6 national hiking areas
12 wilderness areas

7. Roadmap of Tourism for 2015-2025
Achieving more together– growth and renewal in Finnish tourism – strategic projects
Preparation of the strategic programme for tourism (TEM)
Finland Stopover – making Finland a leading stopover country VF
Finrelax® - turning Finland into a top country for wellbeing tourism (VF)
Making the Finnish archipelago internationally known (VF)
Making tourism services easy to find and buy digitally
Creation of a demonstration project targeting at sustainable waterway tourism
utilising bio echonomy, cleantech and digital technology (TEM)

8. Mission of Well-being Tourism
Making Finland an internationally acknowledged destination for well-being tourism with services based on pure nature, sauna, exercise in nature, healthy food and
(health) care know-how. 

9. Goals of the growth programme
Launching a broad based, national development work.
Building Finland into a leading destination of natural well-being in co-operation with SME-companies and key enterprises
Creating an operating model and national network for well-being tourism
Developing products and services for international travellers
Creating a marketing network and mapping distribution channels
Target markets: Germany, Russia and Japan

10. Thematic Focal Points of Well-being Tourism
Finnish way of sauna bathing; habits and manners
The comprehensive sauna experience (before and after)
Sauna traditions
Sauna and silence
Special services: sauna yoga, peat sauna etc.
Supplementary services (food, culture etc.)
Exercise in the nature
Pure water, air
Well-being from the forest
Silence
Space
Light, the polar night
The seasons
Safety
Finnish sauna
Pure nature
Natural
luxury and harmony
Healthy food
Local food
Organic food
Special diets
The gifts of Finnish nature (berries, herbs etc.)
Gathering food in the nature and preparing it
• Traditional bonesetting
• Kajava treatment, a traditional Finnish massage
• Method Putkisto
• Finnish cosmetics brands and tretatment products
• Finnish equipment
Finnish treatments
Food

11. Challenges in developing nature-based tourism (NBT)
Statistics and monitoring
Delivering benefits of NBT to local communities (land owners).
Synergies and conflicts with traditional and new rural land-uses (e.g. forestry, windpower, mining)
Networking and marketing
Product development

12. Research in NBT Professorship in nature-based tourism 2003-
Metla/Luke coordination within research in NBT tourism.
-National research program Well-being from forests ( )
-Well-being from Nature -Roadmap for research (Luke )
Key actors in research:
University of Eastern Finland (UEF, Centre for tourism studies)
Institute for Tourism studies, ULapland (MTI, Rovaniemi)

13. Well-being from forests research -program (Metla 2009-2014)
Research themes
Economic and social and health benefits of NBT and recreation
Synergies/conflicts with rural land uses
Demand and trends of NBT
Preconditions for entrepreneurship.
Co-operation with sectoral research institutes, universities and development organizations.
110 refereed publications and 220 other publications

14. New ways to develop and enhance nature-based tourism and recreation in Finland – (VirKein, )
(i) Developing nature-based tourism and recreation (Luke and UEF)
Current state of provision of nature-based tourism services, growth potential, consumer behavior changes, new business models and development of statistics.
(ii) New models and incentives for producing ecosystems services (SYKE and Luke).
New funding and production models for Ecosystem Services (PES) in water and forest areas.
Funding Prime Minister's Office (TEM, YM, MMM)
Time:

15. Project team
Luke: Liisa Tyrväinen (coordin.) Tuija Sievänen, Seija Tuulentie, Päivi Eskelinen, Jani Pellikka, Eija Pouta, Teppo Hujala.
University of Eastern Finland (UEF, Centre for tourism studies):
Anja Tuohino, Henna Konu, Juho Pesonen, Katja Pasanen.
Finnish Environmental Research Institute (SYKE): Petteri Vihervaara, Olli Ojala, Kaisu Aapala, Virpi Lehtovaara.
Methods and approaches:
Synthesis reports from research literature, surveys, expert interviews, regional workshops (in co-operation with Metsähallitus, Parks and Wildlife).

16. Steering group
Nina Vesterinen, Min. of Economic Affairs and Employment, chair
Hanna-Mari Kuhmonen, Min.of Economic Affairs and Employment
Ossi Nurmi, Statistics Finland
Katja Matveinen, Min. of Agriculture and Forestry
Miliza Malmelin, Ministry of Environment
Tuija Mikkonen, Ministry of Environment
Mikko Kuusinen, Ministry of Environment
Liisa Kajala, Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland
Kristiina Hietasaari, VisitFinland

17. WP1 Well-being benefits of nature-based tourism and their monitoring
Aims:
To evaluate and develop existing statistics and databasis
To summarize information of sectors’ economic effects and employment effects
To summerize information of foresight, scenarios and trends
To suggest a model to manage information, monitoring and assesment for the use of policy and governance for governmental administration
Focus: actors within public sector: ministries officials, municipalities, regional authorities

18. WP2: Sustainable business models and product development (UEF and Luke)
Key themes:
All-year round tourism
Role of cultural landscapes for tourism development
Sustainable tourism consumption (demand), products and services
Sustainable business models
Collaboration and co-creation:
Web-based survey for entrepreneurs
Four regional workshops (Nothern-Finland (Lapland), Lake-Land, Helsinki MPA and surroudings, Archipelago)
Target groups: entrepreneurs, regional stakeholder across sectors.

19. TP 3: International demand and social media (UEF)
Analysis of changes in consumer behaviour and trends in most potential international markets (Germany, Russia, China and Japan).
How NBT in Finland is seen/appears in social media.
Methods:
Existing reports and studies
VisitFinland’s and regional organizations’ key social media channels

20. SUSTAINABLE NBT BUSINESS MODELS
Demand and social media
Co-operation
Operational activities
Products and services
Clients and markets
Role of Cultural Landscapes in tourism sevices
Potential for all-year round tourism
Sustainable tourism choises and services

21. WP 4 and WP5: Market-based mechanisms for enhanced ecosystem services (SYKE and Luke)
What type of models and approaches are usable in water and forested areas for enhanced environmental management.
Example: Landscape and Recreation Value Trade in private forest areas.
Lessons learned from previous projects (NEWFOREX (New Ways to Value and Market Forest Externalities) and PROVIDE-project, Horizon 2020)
New funding models analysed (e.g. ecological compensation, habitat, banking, PES-models)
Certificates, image benefits

22. Research Examples: Future studies of outdoor recreation
Foresight studies include analyzing trends and scenarios based on outdoor recreation statistics; e.g. impacts of climate change on outdoor recreation
Landauer, M., Sievänen, T. & Neuvonen, M Adaptation of Finnish cross-country skiers to climate change. Fennia 187(2):
Pouta, E., Neuvonen, M. & Sievänen, T Participation in cross-country skiing in Finland under climate change: Application of multiple hierarchy stratification perspective. Journal of Leisure Research 41(1):
Future research using qualititative methods Future tables and workhops; creation of alternative futures with experts working in fields related to NBT (e.g. land use planners, forestry managers, agencies of recreation services)
Neuvonen et al. (in process) Future Perspectives on Outdoor Recreation

23. Research in Lapland
Second homes as part of tourist resorts in a project ”Homes beyond homes”,funded by the Academy of Finland, scientific leader C. Michael Hall, partners Luke, University of Eastern Finland and SYKE;
Northern lights tourism and adventure tourism studies, together with MTI, University of Lapland; funded by the Norwegian project ”WINTER: New turns in Arctic winter tourism: Adventuring, romanticising and exoticising, and demasculinising nature?”, leader Bente Heimtun

24. AACA – Adaptation Actions for the Changing Arctic; Arctic Council/AMAP
BuSK – Building Shared Knowledge Capital to support natural resource governance in the Northern periphery
NPAP funded EU project operating in six northern European countries, led by Luke, Seija Tuulentie,
In relation to tourism the most important issues are 1) the crowding of tourism in certain areas with natural amenities, 2) the development of tourism in rural areas and 3) the use of protected areas in tourism and recreation with PPGIS as an important tool
AACA – Adaptation Actions for the Changing Arctic; Arctic Council/AMAP
Luke is responsible for the Finnish tourism part  main issue: How does nature-based tourism adapt to climate change in Barents region?; Finnish part of the project led by Monica Tennberg, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Luke’s part Seija Tuulentie
joint challenges and joint opportunities
that can best be overcome and realised by transnational
cooperation.

25. Customer involvement in new experiential tourism development: Evidence in wellbeing and nature tourism contexts (Henna Konu, UEF, PhD-study)
Study discussed customer involvement and consumer service experience in the new service development process of experiential services.
Three service development cases:
1. Developing a forest-based wellbeing tourism product together with customers – an ethnographic approach
– Focusing on the nature experiences of Japanese tourists
2 Developing nature‑based tourism products with customers by utilizing the Delphi method
– Examining the dream holidays (related to wellbeing and activities in nature) of Finnish tourists
3. Customer involvement in a new service development process: Developing the “Feelgood in Lapland” tourism offering-
Information:

26. Rural Finland -project (Duration 1.8.2015-31.12.2017)
Karelia University of Applied Sciences and University of Eastern Finland (UEF)
Coordination of rural tourism development in Finland.
Increases co-operation and communication between rural tourism stakeholders.
Collects and distributes information and best practices on rural tourism in Finland.
Virtual Finland -project (Duration )
Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Karelia University of Applied Sciences and UEF
Aims to create a virtual digital service concept that connects the strengths and possibilities of Finnish nature both online and in the destination as an interesting digital experience.
Develops international marketing of nature-based tourism in Finland
Project uses virtual reality, gamification, internet of things and social media to create novel nature experiences, both online ( and offline).

27. Thank you!

28. Target Groups
Modern humanists. Within this segment a special emphasis on cultural individualists and active families looking for new experiences
+55-year-olds are a significant target group on all markets
Asian tourists, the main target group of Visit Finland’s image marketing, are also an important target group in marketing well-being tourism.
• The Asian tourist is interested in Finnish nature and there is a demand for nature-based well-being products.
• The Japanese are more interested in holistic well-being than the Chinese.